As Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally lifted their first-ever IPL trophy, the match rewrote viewer records to become the most-watched match in the 18-year history of the tournament.
RCB’s Historic Win Amplifies Viewership Surge
With Virat Kohli at the center of RCB’s decade-long quest, their long-awaited victory brought an emotional edge to the final confrontation. Kohli, the franchise’s face since 2008, contributed to bringing the popularity of the match to atmospheric levels.
Viewership Timeline: A Match That Gripped The Nation
RCB vs Punjab Kings (PBKS) grand finale kicked off strongly with 4.3 crore views, but the rush gained momentum as the game went on: Phil Salt’s dynamite beginning triggered a surge in traffic and Shreyas Iyer’s removal of Salt attracted even more viewers.
By the 11th over, more than 11 crore viewers watched. When Kohli was removed at 43, views reached 26.5 crore. Jitesh Sharma’s RCB counterattack took views above 30 crore. With RCB’s mini-collapse the total reached 34.7 crore up to the 20th over. RCB finished their innings at 190 runs, and the viewership reached 35 crore.
Krunal Pandya’s Magical Spell
PBKS started their pursuit with purpose, hitting a boundary off the first delivery. But when Krunal Pandya struck in the early stages to remove Prabhsimran Singh, both the game and the viewership tally took a dramatic turn. Views hit 50 crore within moments of the breakthrough.
RCB slogans echoed inside Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium by the 9th over. As the climax approached, fans stormed online 55 crore views were attained by the 14th over. By the time RCB had won, the viewership had recorded a record 67.8 crore.
What Do The Numbers Mean?
It’s important to note that JioHotstar reports total views, not unique individuals. That means every time a viewer opens the app or stream even if it’s multiple times each counts as a separate view. While this inflates the total, it still reflects massive engagement and repeated tune-ins, especially in key moments like Kohli’s dismissal or the final over.
RCB’s Digital Domination In IPL 2025
The triumph was not just in the final. IPL 2025 broke records right from the beginning: The opening weekend witnessed 4,956 crore minutes of cumulative watch time. Just the first three games received 137 crore views, a 54% rise in Connected TV (CTV) consumption and a high concurrency of 3.4 crore. Compared to the previous season, digital viewership increased by 40%, indicating that the IPL’s OTT reach is increasing very fast.
TV Ratings Also Reach Record Levels
The audience for television also reflected digital success. Based on BARC numbers: More than 25.3 crore viewers watched during the opening weekend. Watch time reached a jaw-dropping 2,770 crore minutes up 22% from IPL 2024.
Global Comparisons: RCB Final Beats India-Pakistan Clash
According to a report by MoneyControl, While 60 crore digital views were attracted by the India vs Pakistan game in February’s ICC Championship, IPL final went one step ahead. 6.1 crore simultaneous viewers watched the Champions Trophy Final between India and New Zealand, which was the most-watched live event in history. But the aggregate viewership of the IPL 2025 final, at 67.8 crore eyeballs, has now become a record in Indian sports streaming history.
The End of a Jinx, The Rise of a New Era
After almost two months and 74 adrenaline-fueled games, IPL 2025 made RCB first-time champions. And in the process, it unleashed levels of digital interaction that were unprecedented, reminding us one more time that cricket in India is not merely a game it’s an emotion.
